This 3-minute read brought to you by the team at Rogue Pine
In this issue, you'll learn:
Is It Time to Pivot or Stay the Course?
90 days in. Nothing’s working. Now what?
You’re halfway through a new campaign, and it's not looking good.
Leads are barely trickling in. Engagement is non-existent. The team is questioning everything.
Maybe you're asking yourself: "Should we scrap this and pivot?"
Hold up. Let’s take a breath.
It might not be time to hit the panic button just yet.
In fact, the first 90 days are often deceiving because their main purpose isn’t immediate wins.
It’s about consistency, data, and finding your content-market fit.
Let’s break it down.
90 Days to Build a Baseline
The first 90 days of any marketing campaign aren’t glamorous. They're all about routine and repetition.
You’re establishing patterns and gathering initial data to use as a benchmark.
Consistent publishing creates momentum, which is essential for long-term success.
Imagine you're trying to get in shape.
You don’t go to the gym for two weeks and expect a six-pack, right?
The same rule applies to marketing. Without those early reps, there's nothing to measure or improve.
At this stage, your goal should be clear: create a content and distribution rhythm.
Then, track your early data without obsessing over instant results.
Content-Market Fit Takes Time
You’ve heard of product-market fit?
Well, content-market fit is similar but focused on your messaging.
It's when your content finally aligns with what your audience actually wants to see.
And trust me, you don’t stumble into this overnight.
Finding your content-market fit can take months. Sometimes, it’s a subtle shift that makes all the difference.
A headline tweak or a shift in content style can suddenly drive engagement. But you need data—at least 90 days of it—to see patterns emerge.
Take one of our recent campaigns.
We thought we had it dialed in, but early on, engagement was weak.
Instead of pivoting, we tested new angles. We found our audience responded really well to personality-driven video content on Linkedin.
On the flip side, YouTube videos that were longer and included more technical education performed much better.
That insight only became clear after two months of iterations.
Marketing and Sales Lag
Here’s a reality check: your marketing pipeline moves slower than you’d like.
The efforts you make today might not impact your bottom line for another three months—or longer.
Think of your marketing as a marathon, not a sprint.
Top-of-funnel efforts (like posts and videos) aim to build awareness.
But the real action happens mid-funnel, with educational pieces like case studies or webinars that help nurture leads.
Remember, what you publish on day 45 might not generate sales until day 135.
Marketing has a long tail, which means patience isn’t just a virtue—it’s a necessity.
Make Tiny Tweaks, Not Big Swings
It’s tempting to blow up a campaign if you’re not seeing results. But marketing isn’t about massive pivots at the first sign of trouble.
Instead, small, focused tweaks are your best friend.
Try things like:
Changing a headline or call-to-action.
Experimenting with content formats (e.g., turning a blog post into a video).
Adjusting your posting schedule to see if timing affects engagement.
The trick is to tweak one element at a time so you can clearly identify what works.
Iteration beats desperation every time.
When Should You Pivot?
That said, there are moments when a pivot makes sense.
Here are some red flags that may warrant a bigger change:
Your content consistently underperforms despite optimization efforts.
There’s a clear mismatch between your offer and what your audience needs.
Another format or message is performing significantly better in your tests.
Before you pivot, take an objective look at the data.
Are there patterns showing improvement in certain areas?
If so, it might just be a matter of staying the course a bit longer.
Stay Patient, Stay the Course
It’s easy to get frustrated in the early days of a new initiative. But marketing is a game of delayed gratification.
Sustainable growth takes time and discipline.
Trust your process, analyze your data, and make small, strategic changes over time.
And remember: today’s marketing efforts are planting seeds for results you’ll see months from now.
Don’t dig up those seeds just because they haven’t sprouted yet.
Your Turn
Need help figuring out whether to pivot or optimize? Reply with your campaign details, and I’ll offer some advice.
P.S. Next week, Nikki and I break down how nurturing leads with consistent content impacts pipeline success and how to develop strategies for moving prospects from awareness to consideration. You won’t want to miss it!
Until next time,
Reade
